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Kendrick hoped to finish the sixth inning

4/5/13: Phillies manager Charlie Manuel talks about Kyle Kendrick's tough start, playing Laynce Nix in right and losing to the Royals, 13-4

By Todd Zolecki
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MLB.com |

PHILADELPHIA -- Every starter wants to pitch at least six innings, and Phillies right-hander Kyle Kendrick felt no differently Friday.

He said he felt fine and hoped to finish the sixth in a 13-4 loss to the Royals. Instead, he intentionally walked pinch-hitter Billy Butler to load the bases and Phillies manager Charlie Manuel had left-hander Jeremy Horst face left-handed-hitting Alex Gordon. But Horst allowed a triple to clear the bases and give the Royals a one-run lead.

The game got much worse from there.

"He can say what he wants to and I'll say to him what I want to," Manuel said about Kendrick. "I'm not going to tell you what I tell him, though. Seriously, that's how I look at it. I don't care what he says, but if I got something to say to him, I'll be able to do that. You won't know unless he tells you."

Todd Zolecki is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.